Charlie Parker

In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month, we're spotlighting the great
players and seminal recordings of “America's classical music.” Where
to begin? Jazz, by its nature, incorporates many influences and takes
many forms. But if you were asked to picture a “jazz musician,” more
than likely your mind's eye will see a “young man with a horn.”

The Kirk Douglas movie version of a jazzman may not resonate with you,
but a trumpeter or saxophonist blowin' hot in a smoke-filled club
epitomizes the image of a jazz virtuoso. For the reason brass shines
the brightest in the mix, consider the music's early 20th century
origins – in an era that predated electric amplification, it's what
could most easily carry through a crowded room. Jazz's first great
star was a cornet player, Louis Armstrong. After an apprenticeship
with King Oliver, Armstrong made his name leading small groups in the
1920s (the “Hot Fives” and “Hot Sevens”) that rewrote the book on
improvisation. That he was also a distinctive singer (Armstrong is
often credited with the invention of scat-singing) helped ensure that
“Satchmo” remained a dominant jazz figure for decades.